Wrestling is a sport of physical engagement between two unarmed persons, in which each wrestler strives to obtain a position of advantage over their opponent. Wrestling involves different grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Many different wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat sports and military systems. The sport can either be genuinely competitive or sportive entertainment.
Greco-Roman, Graeco-Roman, classic wrestling or French wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1904. This style of wrestling forbids holds below the waist, which is the main feature that differentiates it from freestyle wrestling. This restriction results in an emphasis on throws, because a wrestler cannot use trips to bring an opponent to the ground or hook/grab the opponent's leg to avoid being thrown.
Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced in collegiate, school, or other amateur level competitions. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games: freestyle and Greco-Roman. Both styles are under the supervision of the United World Wrestling. A similar style, commonly called collegiate, is practiced in colleges and universities, secondary schools, middle schools, and among younger age groups in the United States. Where the style is not specified, this article refers to the international styles of competition on a mat. In February 2013, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to remove the sport from the 2020 Summer Olympics onward. On 8 September 2013, the IOC announced that wrestling would return to the Summer Olympics in 2020. The rapid rise in the popularity of the combat sport mixed martial arts (MMA) has increased interest in amateur wrestling due to its effectiveness in the sport and it is considered a core discipline.
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling is conducted under different rules and is termed scholastic and collegiate wrestling. American collegiate women's wrestling is conducted under freestyle rules.
Poland competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States. 165 competitors, 126 men and 39 women, took part in 126 events in 20 sports.
Farid Mansurov is an Azerbaijani wrestler, gold medalist of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Greco-Roman wrestling at 66 kg. He retired in 2010, after conceding jaw injury during 2010 European Wrestling Championship. In 2010—2011, he coached the Azerbaijani national wrestling team. He is the head of the sport department in The Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 2016. He is also Vice President of Youth Wrestling Federation of Azerbaijan.
Bulgaria competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 130 competitors, 106 men and 24 women, took part in 92 events in 15 sports.
Finland competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium for the first time as a fully independent state. It did compete at the previous Olympics, however, only as the Russian-dependent Grand Duchy of Finland. 63 competitors, 62 men and 1 woman, took part in 51 events in 9 sports.
Bilyal Valerievich Makhov is a Russian mixed martial artist, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestler. He is signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, currently competing in the Heavyweight division. He was the Russian champion in 2007 and 2010, European champion in 2010 and World champion in 2007, 2009 and 2010 in Men's Freestyle 120 kg wrestling and bronze medalist in 130 kg Greco-Roman Wrestling at the World Championships in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, he won the Russian National Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships
The men's Greco-Roman 55 kilograms is a competition featured at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships, and was held at the Messecenter Herning exhibition center in Herning, Denmark on September 25.
The men's Greco-Roman 60 kilograms is a competition featured at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships, and was held at the Messecenter Herning exhibition center in Herning, Denmark on September 26.
The men's Greco-Roman 66 kilograms is a competition featured at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships; it was held at the Messecenter Herning exhibition center in Herning, Denmark on September 27.
The men's Greco-Roman 74 kilograms is a competition featured at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships, and was held at the Messecenter Herning exhibition center in Herning, Denmark on September 27.
The men's Greco-Roman 84 kilograms is a competition featured at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships, and was held at the Messecenter Herning exhibition center in Herning, Denmark on September 26.
The men's Greco-Roman 96 kilograms is a competition featured at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships, and was held at the Messecenter Herning exhibition center in Herning, Denmark on September 26.
The European Wrestling Championships is the second oldest international wrestling competition of the modern world and the main wrestling championships in Europe. It predates World Wrestling Championships and other regional wrestling championships and is second only to the wrestling events at the Olympics. From its inception in 1898 till 1927 only Greco-Roman wrestling was contested. Since 1929 separate freestyle wrestling events were held as well. Since 1970 the two Olympic wrestling styles were contested together during the same unified events. Since 1973 Sambo wrestling was included into the championships programme along with GR and freestyle wrestling. Since 2014 associated traditional wrestling styles recognized globally by UWW were incorporated into the annual championships schedule.
Jalmar Leonard Sjöberg is an amateur Swedish Greco-Roman wrestler. He won a silver medal for the super heavyweight division at the 2009 European Wrestling Championships in Vilnius, Lithuania, and two bronze medals at the 2007 European Wrestling Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, and at the 2009 FILA World Championships in Herning, Denmark.
Anders Nyblom is a Danish amateur Greco-Roman wrestler, who competed in the featherweight division. He is the twin brother of two-time Olympian Håkan Nyblom.
Aliaksandr Fiodaravich Kikiniov is an amateur Belarusian Greco-Roman wrestler, who competes in the men's middleweight category. He won the bronze medal at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships in Herning, Denmark, defeating Germany's Konstantin Schneider. He is also a three-time medalist at the European Championships.
Dilshod Aripov is an amateur Uzbekistani Greco-Roman wrestler, who played for the men's lightweight category. He is a two-time medalist at the Asian Games, and five-time at the Asian Wrestling Championships. Aripov also achieved his early international success by defeating Armenia's Karen Mnatsakanyan for a gold medal in the 58 kg class at the 2001 World Wrestling Championships in Patras, Greece.
